Not sure how I feel about that.

[Mass]

Not because Kerry met with Pickens. It is his decision and his alone to make, and I have no reason to feel one way or the other on that.

However, I have been bothered that the Democrats consider Pickens as a valid interlocutor when it comes to global warming when it is clear his motives are not to fight global warming, but to make big bucks. I am still bothered by that. I noticed that the meeting was not productive, which is a good thing in my opinion (I still do not know how I feel about the Senate bill), but I am still bothered that Pickens is considered a valid party to these issues.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33808.html

John Kerry, Swift Boat backer meet

[Blaukraut]

1. I bothers me, too.

I can't help but think of the saying 'if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.' Pickens is the dog here, and I do not think that working with him is a good idea at all. There are many more legitimate advocates that could be considered as partners in the fight against Climate Change. Does it have to be the bottom of the barrel?

[MBS]

2. it bothers me, too

Hopefully, Sen. Kerry has some sort of Deep Strategy here, but, like you guys, I don't trust Pickens about anything, most especially environmental issues. I'm also bothered, like you, that other congressional Dems seem to treat Pickens as (to use your terms) a "valid party".

(Speaking of alternate energy, I'm sending this from the Acela!! The Acela now has free wi-fi access! Cool, no?!)

[TayTay]

3. That is a tough one

Sen. Kerry is doing his job. He wants to pass that legislation. But that doesn't mean he will trust Pickens. Pickens is a potential player in this drama to come, but nothing else.

Kudos to the Senator for doing this, but I imagine the cost was high.

[MH1]

4. I think Pickens can be 'trusted' to do what makes him money

And I suspect that is how JK is using him.

I think objectively we have to admit that replacing foreign oil with natural gas is better than the status quo and current trajectory. The article's description of the bill that Kerry, Lieberman and Graham might ultimately produce makes me shudder, but it's better than doing nothing. And the longer we twiddle our thumbs the less we are going to get out of a bill, so may as well try to get what we can get now.

The good news about that bill is that Kerry is working on a novel approach to limiting greenhouse gas emissions. I'm sure he'll come up with something effective - cap and trade was once a new concept too - and then the trick will be to pass it before the republicon media machine can turn the public against it.

[Luftmensch067]

5. Agreed

Like others here, I shuddered when I read about this, but my feeling is that JK is fighting what he may feel is the true battle of his career -- to actually save the planet. I'm sure it wasn't easy to meet with that slimeball, and I'm sure there are no illusions about the possibility of fleas, but he had to work with GWB, don't forget. I suspect he would work with Nixon himself right now, if he felt it could help this cause.

[karynnj]

8. Although it would be completely naive and thoroughly unlikely,

I would hope that Pickens would be able to see and appreciate Kerry's depth of commitment here and realize that politics and even political skill and intelligence aside, Kerry might be among the best people who ever ran for the Presidency. (Then again, Kerry understood the need to replace ME oil long before others did.)

[fedupinBushcountry]

6. It bothers me too

but this is the JK that we still admire, he is doing it for the country and the world, that's our JK.

[karynnj]

7. It bothers me that Kerry is faced with having to deal with him,

but it genuinely shows how he really does do what is right. Having Pickens behind the bill is better than having him neutral or against it.

Unlike, Matthews, I am not surprised at all that Kerry would do this. I don't think this necessarily means he has forgiven him, just that he has the maturity to do what is needed for a goal that he thinks is more important than himself. What a contrast to most politicians. I always found it hard to believe that he forgave Nixon, after the powerful, paranoid President acted to destroy a young war hero for speaking out. Kerry, as chair of the POW/MIA commission could have demanded Nixon appear, but he allowed him to given written responses to questions.

[Luftmensch067]

9. I still think

Eleanor Roosevelt's definition of "maturity" describes JK's approach to life and to his work admirably:

A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.

[JI7]

10. i hate it, i'm disgusted by it , the quote about how Pickens thinks Kerry understands

the environment etc.........

WTF.

this is worse than Obama's continous outreach to republicans who will never support him.

this just disgusts me.

[karynnj]

12. It disgusts me that Pickens thinks he is in a position to "approve" of

Kerry's knowledge and insight on these issues where Kerry was one of the first (and the best) in articulating the interconnection of all of them --- especially in 2004 and we all know what Pickens was doing at that time. Kerry does not need Pickens' "endorsement" as someone who understands the issue. Pickens wasa latecomer - and came only when he saw the potential to make money.

But, Kerry is not reaching out to him for personal support. Kerry does not need that. What Kerry is trying to do is to move anyone he could into a more supportive (or less hostile position) on doing something on climate change. Given that Kerry is sincere when he says their is a very short window, he is clearly trying to get the best that he can pass passed - knowing it will be completely inadequate, but that any move in the right direction is better than none.

To give a perspective on how tough things will be, in addition to the 14 coal state Senators wanting to protect their right to pollute, you have this mindless piece of grandstanding by Schumer and others against the wind power parts of the stimulus bill because some equipment is purchased from other countries.

A group of Democratic senators called Wednesday for the government to halt a federal stimulus program aimed at building wind farms and other clean-energy projects, arguing that too much of the money spent so far has gone to create jobs overseas.

The Obama administration and wind-energy advocates strongly disputed the criticism by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and three other Democrats, saying that most of the jobs under the Energy Department program have been created in the United States, despite the dominance of foreign manufacturers in the green-technology sector.

The dispute marks a rare public split among Democrats over the $862 billion stimulus package, which the Obama administration and party leaders have defended as crucial to saving jobs and easing the recession's impact. Republicans have spent the past year attacking the package as a wasteful boondoggle.

Joined by Sens. Robert P. Casey Jr. (Pa.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Jon Tester (Mont.), Schumer said at a news conference that the Obama administration has ignored concerns about foreign involvement in the clean-energy program and should halt funding until Congress can pass legislation to deal with the problem.

This not only validates the Republicans at Obama's expense, it would slow down the creation of alternative energy. As to the rest of the world dominating this market, this is consistent with Kerry's comments that just this would happen - made prominently in the 2004 campaign and often since, especially on the book tour. Did any of these Senators fight for grants or incentives to help American companies move into these fields?

Before stopping the program, an accounting that shows where the money is spent and what the bids were seems a better first step. Then, if a law is needed, to allow American companies to win with bids that are under some % higher than the cheapest foreign bid.

[wisteria]

11. I am not thrilled about this an do not trust Pickens. But, I think this shows that Kerry is the

beter man for doing this in the best interest of America.

[beachmom]

13. I predicted a year ago that this might need to happen.

I agree with you on Pickens but shepherding legislation through Congress is about dealing with "interests". I have no idea how influential Pickens is with lobbying groups, other companies, and Republican legislators, but he might be able to pitch in getting the bill passed even if his motives are not pure.

Sen. Kerry shows he is a grown up here.